Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-07-20

steam whistle.
81 be-" responded that official,
briefly.
II come up here to git pay for the
trunk l lost in the Coon Creek collis-
ion."
There had been bad smash-up on
the road few weeks before, and this
was one of the claims growing out Of
it which remained unadjusted.
"What is your name" asked the
agent.
"Mrs. Lovelock, Of Geneva" she
replied.
"Ah, yes" said tho claim-agent. 81
remember now. How much do you
think your trunk was worth, Mrs.
Lovelock."
"Wsll, dunno exactly, but sh'd
think about two hundred dollars
would be nigh the value of it, and I
wouldn't want you should pay any
more'n it was worth"
That's pretty Steep" mused the
claim-agent, looking at his notebook.
Lets see how you make it. What
was the trunk itself worth, for in
stance"
swell. it was a fine, large, new
trunk, an ! had jest paid fifteen dol
lars for it before I started"
The claim-agent made note of the
fifteen dollars. "well, what was in
the trunk" he asked.
"Lemme see-there was my best
Sunday dress-a black silk-the ma.
terial in it cost twenty-five dollars,
an the maxim ten-that makes tbir-
ty-fve. Then there was an alpaca
dress, worth about fifteen dollars, an
a new bunnit I had Jest paid fifteen
dollars for"
The claim.agent kept track of the
items. "That makes seventy-eight
dollars; now, what else I"
"Well," she said, "there was consid-
erable other clothing"
"What was that worth p
81 dunno exactly, but guess about
fifty dollars"
"Well, what else now!"
Her memory seemed to fail her at
this point, but after moment she
continued: "There was about seven
ty-fve dollars worth O. jewelry in the
trunk"
THAT makes something over two
hundred dollars" said the claim
agent.
"Well," she said magnanimously,
II don't want to be hard on the CON-
pany, so we'll call it jest an even two
hundred"
Trunk have any marks OH it"
asked the claim-agent, casually.
1T had kyard with my name OH it"
she answered.
Got the check ?"
She produced it.
Seems to me you are little hard
OH US" said the claim-agent. Don't
you think you could reduce the
amount littlei
"No, sir" she said, IAN if you don't
pay. I'll sue."
Sorry to 60 to law with you, ma
am, but we won't pay that claim"
She founced out of her chair and
started for the door.
"Wait minute" said the claim
agent soothingly. IL guess we can
make some arrangement"
She sat down again, and the claim
agent stepped out into the hall.
When he came back porter followed
him. bringing under one arm small.
yellow trunk, tied about with rope,
and somewhat the worse for wear. 1t
could have been bought anywhere for
a dollar and half. The claim-agent
looked at the card and compared the
checks. "Is that your trunk y he
asked.
Her face was red as beet, as she
acknowledged, with very bad grace,
that it was.
"The trunk has not been hurt at
all" said the claim-agent, Except by
the wetting it got when the baggage
car fell into the creek. If you've got
the key here, we'll open it, and see
what the damage was"
w-I've-lost the key" she stam-
mered.
"Oh, we'll, then, we'll break it open,"
said the claim-agent, cheerfdlly.
"Oh, no, don't do that" she remon-
strated, "It-it-ain't my trunk-I
borrowed it from my sister, an she
wouldn't like that should break the
lock. I'D ruther take less money"
Il guess you would" said the claim
agent, with chuckle. II amt been
claim-agent on this road for Eve years
without meeting lots of people like
you. Well give you fifteen dollars
for what damage the water may have
done to your bssgass-or, I'll open the
trunk, and you can bring your law
suit" II